Elena Varese

Elena Varese is widely recognised for managing complex multi-jurisdictional intellectual property disputes, coordinating enforcement and defence strategies before national courts, the Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM), the EUIPO and the General Court of the European Union. A distinctive feature of her practice is her ability to orchestrate local and multidisciplinary teams across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring strategic consistency across parallel actions.

Her practice covers trademarks, designs, geographical indications, copyright, trade secrets, domain names, unfair competition and advertising law, with a particular focus on the food & beverage, fashion & luxury, automotive and consumer goods sectors. Elena is regularly consulted on legally untested and highly complex matters where the interaction of different IP disciplines requires a non-conventional approach, ranging from the protection of non-traditional trademarks (including shape and position marks) to emerging technology-related rights, keyword advertising and influencer marketing.

She also advises clients on advertising law matters, including emerging issues relating to green claims, ESG and influencer marketing. Alongside her dispute resolution practice, Elena has developed a strong commercial and advisory practice, assisting with the drafting and negotiation of complex agreements, including distribution, licensing, franchising, co-branding, sponsorship and influencer collaboration agreements. Elena Varese is Global Co-Head of DLA Piper's Trademark, Copyright & Media group and Co-Head of the Consumer Goods, Food & Retail sector in Italy. A member of AIPPI, FISAR and FAI, and a UCL alumna, she has also been actively involved in academic and cultural initiatives since 2014, teaching Fashion Law and Intellectual Property at the University of Milan, the University of Insubria, the University of Florence, Istituto Marangoni and LUISS, and is the author of publications on intellectual property, advertising and fashion law.